Goal of sub 17 minute 5k (Read 8278 times)

Mishka

posted: 3/30/2009 at 11:44 AM

Weekly update...key workouts:
1. 4x1000, goal pace was 3:24 (17 flat pace). The idea was to keep the recoveries short, which I did, but I went too hard on the intervals. I wanted 5 reps, but it wasn't happening with shorter recoveries.
2. 3.4 mile tempo (3 loops of a 1.14 mile course). Too fast again. The plan was 4 laps at 6:00 pace or just under. I started too fast and got faster and had to cut the workout short.
3. 12 miles easy.

Yeah but not fast. They were at 6 pace, maybe a bit faster toward the end.
I was trying to emulate the 10 x 1 mile @ HMP workout that schneidr did but keep the intervals to under 5 minutes each, thus 1200s instead of miles at my pace.
It was tough just because of how long it was but it wasn't brutal. It was a great workout...it felt really hard after like the 4th interval, but never got harder...it was a mental grind but a huge confidence boost and a kickass workout: 45 minutes worth of running 6 pace in the middle of a 13 miler.

I got my mileage back up to scratch this week so I'm feeling a bit better about my chances of getting close to sub 17 over the summer.
Weekly Mileage was: 56
Key workout one: Track session, alternating 400's at 1:25/1:26 with 400's at 1:38/1:39, 6400m in total. Quite a tough session this one, but pretty satisfying.
Key workout two: Tempo, 10k in 38:40 (6:13p)
Impressive 5k Mishka, that sub 17 looks in the bag, or should I say sandbag.....

Mishka

posted: 4/6/2009 at 8:40 AM

Weekly update..key workouts:
Well, just one. The time trail. It hurt a lot. I forgot how much they do. It's good to know where I am, and it's a hell of a workout.
The week was a down week to rest a little from the previous two weeks of whopping mileage I think conservative with a mileage build is working for me and I'll stick with it. The down week was good for me. I'll keep that aspect conservative as well with weekly plans of 2 on, 1 off.
I did some 400s on the track on Tuesday. I'm not sure how much they will contribute to 5k success. I wore spikes, and went too fast. It was fun, but my calves are still dealing with soreness and I missed a tempo last Friday because I was so gimpy. One of those every run should set up the next run(s) lessons.
I'm happy about my chances at breaking 17 in 3 weeks. Not so sure it's a lock, but I feel good about my fitness level being there. Yesterday was just about the best conditions and course I could have asked for. But in 2 weeks, I'll be fitter, not sore (if I can manage to not do anything stupid that week) and less surprised by the pain of the race. Things are moving in the right direction.

Week of 4/6:
59 miles.
Key workouts:
1.) Raced a 5k in 17:38.
2.) 13.8 miler easy pace.
It was good to race a 5k just to get in touch with what that effort feels like after a winter of marathon training, and to set a baseline so I know where I'm starting from. It was a weekly 5k series and I won by a good margin but I still feel like it was pretty much an all out effort. It will be a challenge to take 39 seconds off that but I think it's possible this year. But first things first: 1 week to Boston.

Runners run.

Mishka

posted: 4/13/2009 at 10:59 AM

Week of 4/6:
Not so good. Didn't get a high quality workout until the end of the week. Friday I ran a short, but steady 3.5 miles, then went long on Saturday with 15 minutes of up-tempo work. Saturday's run was longer than I need, but the group I ran with went 2 hours and I felt good, so I stayed with them.
Tuesday, I attempted a track workout of 4 x 1600, but my legs weren't ready. I completed one, got halfway through the next, then stepped off the track. I was forcing it and my body wasn't ready. Just too soon after the time trial (2 days prior). I just focused on recovering at that point.
I missed the faster workouts I wanted, which was disappointing. But here I am, a week later, healthy and ready to get back at it.

Tuesday, I attempted a track workout of 4 x 1600, but my legs weren't ready. I completed one, got halfway through the next, then stepped off the track. I was forcing it and my body wasn't ready. Just too soon after the time trial (2 days prior). I just focused on recovering at that point.

Smart decision. Sometimes, you just have to live to fight another day.

On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office. But you will wish that you'd spent more time running. Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

I have about as much chance of breaking 17:00 for the 5k as I do breaking 4 hours for the marathon right now. The 5k would hurt me way less though. I can guarantee that.
Going into the doctor next week to find out what is going on with me. I could barely finish 4 miles on the treadmill yesterday at a 7:13 pace after running an 18:39 5k just two weeks ago. Something is wrong and the idea of finding out is a little scary right now.

Anyone hear how JDF's appointment went? Seems to have disappeared from the forum ... not sure why, but I always worry when runners go in for this type of thing.

Smart decision. Sometimes, you just have to live to fight another day.

Truly spoken words, O loose-boweled one.
The "plan" was an easy recovery week from 3/30-4/5, then getting going again the week of 4/6. I just didn't feel right and took what ended up being another 4 days easy until I felt like going again. That was not in the plan and it was frustrating to have to do that.
But this week, every single run I've felt so much stronger. And I'm running faster at similar efforts. It's been a good week and I'm psyched to see what I have next Saturday.

Nice interval workout on 4/16 Mishka. Enjoyed the notes and comments about the different types of pain during racing. I didn't like the shorter events in track and never had a lot of success at them. Back in the day I attributed it to a lack of natural speed. Now that I'm older I think the real reason was that I didn't understand the temporary nature of the pain for these races and was afraid to push enough.